


Silent Calling

by G_gnosia



Category: ONF (Band)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Eldritch Abomination, IM SO LATE WITH THIS, M/M, Mild Blood, No Dialogue, Tags Are Hard, Waltzing, cosmic horror inspired, hedge mazes are fun, just a chase, loss of sanity ig, mk im sorry for making you into this, not much romance tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:34:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27996846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/G_gnosia/pseuds/G_gnosia
Summary: Changyoon felt out of place at the masquerade ball, until an enticing stranger approached him and invited him to a dance.
Relationships: Lee Changyoon | E-Tion/Park Minkyun | MK
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18
Collections: Hallonfween 2020





	Silent Calling

**Author's Note:**

> It is finally here! After months of procrastination! Inspired by cosmic horror and the huge Darkest Dungeon OST phase I occasionally cycle through!  
> Drinking game: take a shot whenever the lighting conditions are mentioned
> 
> PS: Let them all wear dresses! Dresses are pretty!!!

The night sang a silent symphony as Changyoon arrived at the estate, it was even more ostentatious than he anticipated. He could spot the ballroom filled with golden light that seeped into the cool outside, contrasting the blue moonlight shining on him. The party seemed to be starting already, fellow guests walking past him, in dresses and tuxedos, their faces covered. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the hall, for as much as he liked big gatherings like these, masquerade balls terrified him.

He didn’t like the masked faces all around him, expressions indecipherable. Changyoon couldn’t help but be on edge, he didn’t know if anyone could be looking at him or any intentions they could have. The open neckline of his dress felt increasingly baring, increasingly vulnerable as his jeweled choker weighed on his neck. Each breath he took felt slightly more suffocating, more restricting as the oppressive air of hidden intent felt ever stronger.

Trying not to let it get to him, Changyoon shifted his focus to the bright lights illuminating the ballroom, their warmth providing a sense of comfort as he strolled around the unknowable guests in an inconspicuous manner, thinking that being unnoticed would be better than being preyed on.

The sudden sound of doors opening drowned all the others in his head, a new guest arrived, fashionably late. A tall man in a black dress, a corset accentuating his waist and a lace piece wrapped around his neck, exposing his collarbone and golden shoulders, shoulders that caught the glow of the ballroom almost as brilliantly as the highlights in his long dirty blond hair. The floor length skirt added to his presence as the small multicolored jewels glistened in the exposed crinoline. The coverage provided by the black mask and opera gloves made the combination tasteful in such an event, yet definitely striking. Changyoon was awestruck as he felt a pressure build in his chest.

So much for the mask in his face, his body must have betrayed him as the mesmerizing stranger slowly approached him, as if he were gliding just above the marbled floor. Changyoon was unable to move, almost breathless, his brain not catching up while the man clad in black closed in and wordlessly extended his hand towards him. Changyoon accepted his invitation, his body moving before he could realize it, his trembling hand on top of the stranger’s.

The music begins. The figure in front of him starts moving, and Changyoon follows. Though clunky at the beginning, both adapted to each other and to the music, their joined hands forming a connection. Each step, weightless, felt like a drop, their surroundings vanished. Changyoon didn't feel the oppressive presence of the masks all around him anymore, it was only him and his mysterious partner, submerged, alone, at peace. 

They kept on dancing, no words were uttered. As much as he tried to get a feel for his partner, Changyoon was unable to discern much; the cold yet gentle touch, bright inviting lips, everything felt hazy, save for the eyes behind the black lace mask. All he could do was stare at those big eyes, intense yet aloof, almost beckoning him to dive into the abyss of his pupils.

Suddenly, he noticed their movements slowly coming to a halt. In his daze, they had waltzed through the whole piece, never losing contact with each other; either through palms connecting, a hand on the small of his back, a wave of energy radiating from him. Once his brain caught up with the moment, Changyoon pulled back, even though part of him still wanted to linger on the eyes behind the mask, sink into his touch and be completely engulfed by his overwhelming aura. 

Not a moment later, he looked up at the stranger’s eyes, still captivating yet vacant. Before Changyoon could ask for one more dance or even a name, the man ran off, the black fabric of his dress billowing behind him, to another room. Something compelled Changyoon to chase after him, maybe desperation, maybe curiosity, still it was enough for him to act on that wish as he followed suit, running out of the ballroom into the other chambers.

Whenever he entered a new room, the dark figure would appear in the corner of his eye moving into the next location, and Changyoon followed, until he got to the garden in the back of the estate. It was unfrequented as its lighting was scarce, only the slight warm glow that bled out from the windows and the faint moonlight illuminated the area.

Changyoon looked around towards the umbra, trying to find the elusive guest, glancing over the loveseats and flowers, directing his sight to the gazebo and the hedge maze behind it, shrouded in darkness. Like a mirage, the tall silhouette appeared in the gazebo, standing still, almost as if waiting for Changyoon to reach him. Maybe that would be the finish line, the end of the pursuit, as Changyoon so strongly desired. He ran towards the figure, darker than the night itself, and as soon as he stepped into the gazebo, it took off again and vanished into the maze of shadows and leaves, almost as if beckoning him to keep following, which he did with no hesitation.

In the maze, the shadows seemed to grow darker, tall greenery blocking the light from the windows. Small glimpses of glittering jewels gave away the stranger's location, Changyoon in hot pursuit, stumbling over the different texture of the terrain. High heeled shoes weren't suited for running on coarse stone, and he got painfully reminded of that when he fell, luckily only lightly scraping his palms. The silhouette ahead of him kept going further in, unfazed, almost as if it were floating through the labyrinth. Not wanting to lose his trail, Changyoon discarded his shoes and got back up after the figure, rough stone scratching his now bare feet.

Going even deeper into the darkness, it was almost overwhelming, the hedges surrounding him barely perceptible, it felt like the moon was gone. For each turn he took, the shadow in front of him was taking the next, a restless chase. It was then that he realized he still heard music from the party, muffled, distant, too distant, but he kept going, the elusive partner being his sole focus. 

Changyoon lost track of how long he’d been chasing that wonderful vision for, it started to feel like forever, like days, seasons had passed, yet everything around was still black as night. No, even darker, he couldn’t see anything anymore apart from the black dress in front of him, captivating him, tantalizing him, inviting him. He didn't notice when the sounds of the party started to become distorted, nor when his feet started to bleed from the neverending abrasion of the rocky ground. All he knew, all he wanted was to reach the mirage in front of him, just to hear its voice, to have one last dance.

So he kept running. His surroundings became darker yet, the figure he was after, though clothed in black, was the only thing Changyoon could discern. The party was almost inaudible by now, still, a dull feeling rang throughout his entire body. His body and mind felt numb as the chase continued. 

Suddenly it seemed like the image in front of him had vanished, until in the next moment Changyoon could spot it in the distance, completely still. He slowed down as he saw it seemingly take a step forward, getting swallowed by the ground and disappearing from view. Changyoon then stood there, where his dance partner was last seen. 

In front of him was a fountain, wide yet too shallow for anyone to dive in it. The stars glistened in the reflection in the water, but Changyoon couldn't see a trace of his own. He looked around, searching for any sign of where his partner could've gone, but the only thing he could see was darkness. There was no hedge maze, no ground nor sky, it seemed as if he were floating in the void, even if his soaked feet stung at the pressure. It was nearly maddening, the only proof that Changyoon hadn't gone completely blind was the fountain right before him, the place where his siren seemingly fell in. 

He looked into the reflection again, more closely, hoping to find any sign. Pressure was building in his head as Changyoon focused on the image, the stars seemed to be moving, shifting about in erratic patterns. He didn’t know if it was his sight playing tricks, maybe influenced by the steadily increasing pounding in his head, a cacophony in the silence. The pressure grew stronger and louder the more he stared, but he had to. He had to find something, any lead, any proof that his masked stranger was there; 

Even if it meant he’d lose his mind.

Changyoon scoured the unnerving picture, honing in on any detail, trying to make something out of it, until it got clearer.

He froze.

In the reflection, there was no sky, no glow, the shine came from wet organic masses, writhing, glistening under a nonexistent light source. It was a sea of reds and blacks, the impression of raw flesh, that he was looking into. 

His head ached like his brain would burst out of his skull, his body screamed like his ribs were crushing his pounding chest, bile threatening to rise up from the view. Yet, Changyoon heard nothing. Where was he? Was his terror mere imagination? Could he dance with that stranger again? 

In a flash, a piercing gaze looked back from the mirror. A silhouette Changyoon recognised, it was his destination. He put a foot forward, bloody and numb. A droplet falls into the water, no sound, no ripple. He wanted to do the same, so he did.

He dropped.

Everything grew quiet. Both the water and his mind, there was no splash, the pounding was gone, it all went silent. It felt like he was floating, weightless yet submerged, a familiar feeling from the waltz. Clarity hit him like a wave, everything started to make sense. 

Changyoon opened his eyes, not knowing when he had closed them. He saw his own dress, suspended in time and space, the limbo where he was in, calming, desolate. Save for one thing.

The familiar crinoline seemed thinner, sharper, like fishbones pertaining to a spine that wasn't there, the jewels were blinking at him in colors he didn't know existed. The lace moved, slithered, on top of skin, beneath the skin. Or were they scales? He didn't know. Only its eyes were the same, beautiful, that intense yet empty gaze. They looked famished. And that's all Changyoon needed to know.

"May I have this dance?" Changyoon offered, stretching out his hand.

The masked stranger stayed silent as it took him in its arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much Fae for all the help you've offered, and to the whole cord for being patient because GOD I'm late and I procrastinated so hard
> 
> But yes, I did plan this out in the beginning? middle of October but then I never touched it ha... Sorry again MK you're my ult but I made you into an Eldritch Abomination T-T
> 
> I'll try to be in time for Winter wONFerland tho! The first hurdle has been overcome!


End file.
